Furniture construction



Jan., 3l, 1961 F. WILSON FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nay 5. 195e FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Forest Wilson, Chicago, lll. (P.0. Box 6, Medinah, Ill.)

Filed May 5, 1958, Ser. No. 733,118

6 Claims. (Cl. 155-197) 'Ihe present invention relates to furniture and more particularly to a constructional brace for use in furniture.

Because of the many advantages of a wooden frame construction over a metal frame construction for furniture, it has been, and still is, the usual practice to utilize wood for the constructional framing members of furniture, and in high quality furniture, the various rails, braces, and other parts of the frame are preferably glued and doweled together. Obviously, the labor cost of constructing furniture of this nature is quite high and it would be desirable to provide a frame construction which While having the advantages of a wooden frame could be more easily assembled so as to reduce the labor cost of manufacturing the frame and, moreover, which would reduce the actual cost of the material used in the frame.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved frame construction for use in furniture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wooden furniture construction utilizing a metal brace member which may be assembled to the wooden members of the frame by ordinary screws.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved metallic brace member for use in furniture construction.

Briefly, the above and further objects are realized in accordance with the present invention by providing a metallic brace member which may be used as a spreader rail between oppositely disposed rails in a wooden frame, the latter rails being interconnected by means of a Vspring or the like which is maintained under tension by the rails between which the spreader rail is positioned. Moreover, in order to enable the use of this same brace for other purposed thereby to increase its versatility and reduce the number of items which must be stocked by a furniture manufacturer, the brace is constructed so that it may replace the usual corner blocks, and moreover, includes supporting means for vertical or divergent furniture legs.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of the frame construction for a sofa showing a brace embodying the present invention replacing conventional corner blocks;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view of the frame of Fig. l taken along the line 2 2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown a portion of the rectangular frame of a furniture piece 10, the frame comprising as its principal members a pair of front and back rails 11 and 12 and end rails 13. only one of the end rails being shown but it being understood that a similar end rail is provided atent Patented Jan. 31, 1961 fa, ice

at the other ends of the front and back rails 11 and 12. The members 11, 12, and 13 are preferably doweled and glued together and a plurality of generally sinusoidal cushion spring 14 of the non-sag type are stretched between the rails 11 and 12 and suitably connected thereto. The springs 14 are maintained under tension at all times by the frame and thus exert an inward force on the rails 11 and 12 which in the absence of a spreader rail or the like con nected between the rails 11 and 12 intermediate the ends thereof would cause the front and rear rails to bow inwardly and thus detract from the overall appearance of the furniture. Inasmuch as the springs 14 during actual use of the furniture bow downwardly due to the Weight of an object, such as a person being positioned thereon, the spreader rails which must be provided between the rails 11 and 12 to prevent bowing thereof, should be sufficiently low so as not to obstruct the natural movement of the springs 14. However, such spreader rails should engage the front and rear rails at a substantial distance from the bottoms thereof. Consequently, the upper sur faces of the spreader rails shoul be concave, and in accordance with prior art practice where the spreader rails are made of Wood, it is desirable that they be convex at the bottom so as to provide a spreader rail which is sulficiently thick at all points therealong to prevent breaking. These prior art spreader rails have necessarily been made on band saws and are quite expensive. Moreover, in order for them to remain intact thoughout long periods of use, it is necessary that they be doweled and glued to the frame and because of the doweling they must necessarily be built into the frame at the time that the frame is initially fabricated.

Also, in order to prevent flexing of the frame 10 it has been necessary in accordance with prior art techniques to employ triangularly shaped corner blocks which are glued into the corners formed by the rails 12 and 11 with the end rails 13 and these corner blocks include suitable means such as drilled holes therein for receiving the legs upon which the furniture is mounted. In accordance with present-day practice, furniture is shipped without legs and, therefore, it is necessary to provide means on the furniture whereby the legs may be assembled just prior to the use of the furniture.

In accordance with the present invention, there is pro vided a brace 16 which may be used as the spreader rail in Wooden frame furniture and which may also be used to replace the conventional corner blocks and leg supports. Since a single brace member 16 may be used for all of these purposes the number of pieces which must be stocked by a furniture manufacturer are reduced, thus reducing his inventory. Moreover, the brace 16 better performs the functions of either a spreader rail or of a pair of corner blocks than do the prior art type spreader rails and prior art type corner block themselves.

Considering the brace 16 in detail, and also referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the rail 16 is generally channel shaped having a bottom web 17 and a pair of upstanding side flanges 18 and 19 which are disposed in substantially parallel relationship. The web 17 is provided with reversely bent portions 2l near the opposite ends thereof and each of these reversely bent portions includes an intermediate portion 23 which is disposed between the adjacent end portion 24 of the web and the intermediate portion 25. The end portions 24 and the intermediate portion 25 are mutually parallel and the intermediate portions 23 intersect these parallel portions at obtuse angles which, as shown in the drawing, may be approximately degrees. This particular angle is, of course, determined by the width of the furniture and as may be seen later by the angle at which it is desired to mount the legs with respect to the frame of the furniture.

In order to strengthen the central portion of the brace 16, a longitudinally extending rib 26 is disposed in the center ofthe web 17'and extends longitudinally of the brace 16 between the intermediate portions 23. The portions fof the anges 18. and ..19 which are disposed alongfthe intermediate .portion 25.0f the web. 17 'are .relativelyvnarrow. but. from the locations, ofilthe intermediate pprtionltothe end ofthese flanges .theybecome progressivelyy wider so asto provide,.in thecase of flange 19, ay substantially high upstanding, portion28 vat each end thereof. The flangealSVhas similar wider portions at thefendsfthereof. The end of. the -upstanding portion 28,-isturnedrinwardlygto providealip 29 which .lies in a .plane.substantially,Y perpendicular to the `principal longitudinal-axisof the brace. 16. .As best shown in Figs.. 1, 2, and;..4,ithe;.endrp9rtions.24ofthe web extendbeyond theqendsiofrtherfangesrl8fand. 19 and include slightly upturned` sides'f: and ,-31 which provide strengthening members. It? will .be-:apparenti from'the. drawingthat the upturnedssides Strand; 31 .are vinelect; extensions: of tlanges1181and19.r` The extendingAendsaof the bracel ftbelowthe Lbottom cdges Of-the-.front and rear rails 11- and.12.-and.theflips:29. aswellfas-the ends 34 of the flange. 18. abut` against the .inner faces. ofv the rails. 11 and.- 12.y When ithe brace -16 is` usedl asa-spreaderv rail, one, or moreofthem .are .positioned intermediate the ends oftherails. 114 andplzzandcare :secured to the rails 11 andflZ by Suitable'screws 35 which. extend through .openingsinxthe. bottom of,.the...w.eb; 17 near. the. ends thereof.

Since theupstanding portions. ZS-of .thetlangei-19 engage the: .rails/11 and..12.,throughout a'substantial. portion of their. height,-.nobowing ofztheiirails can take placedue toithe .pullrexerted.;thereonby'zthe .springs;.14. More- 'over-.becausefofathe generally concave lupper isurfaceof .the.,brace.16`, asbestshown in Fig.x4 ofthe drawing, .no interference with the normal operationaof the spring ,14

iszencountered.

In iordere to enable themounting of .legs in the brace 16,y a:.hole1.37 is Vpressedrinuand .tappedinthe 'end portions-,24. Moreovenin order. tonenable the.use of the brace` 16v where divergentltype legs. are jto be employed, another set ofnholes :381'arepressed andrtapped inthe angulated intermediateY portions 23. ofthe web; 17.

In .order to enable; thenuseof the xbracci 16 Ito replace a -pair.ofconventionalz-corner blocks, and as best shown inFig. 1, eachupstandingportion ZSisprovided with a set of holes 40 and 41 to accommodate-headed screws which extend'throughl these holes'- and are usedto fasten the brace-1640 theiend rail..13. Arscrewdriver hole. 42 mayalso lbewpnovided inl the flange 18 opposite' the hole 41-to.;facilitate -the `threading of Y the screws through the Vfactured 'ata relatively lowjcost,n'1ay`be usedV fora numbe'r of"'purposessuch`,` forexample, as a spreader rail or torep'lace a pairi'of conventional corner blocks;

While a'particular kembodiment of'the invention/has 'been'shon/n, `it will`be` understood, ofcourse, that it is not desired that the invention be limited theretoisince modilications'maytbemadeg and it is, therefore, contemplated bytheappended'claims to'icover any"such"modi Vcations as'fall 1-vvithinthe`true`spirit and' 'scopeof the invention.

Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed as. new. and dsired to be. secured by Letters Patent of the United. States is:

l. A furniture brace comprising .an elongated metalvlic.channel having a web anda pair of parallel side anges, a reverse bend in said web near one end of said channel, a reverse bend,'identical to the rst of said bends, near the other end ofi-said channel, a centrally disposed, axial rib in said web extending from one of said reverse bends to the other, the end portions of one of said anges being substantially higher than the center portion, the longitudinal ends of said one of said anges 'being inturned to provide are-entrant lip at each end lying in a plane which is perpendicular to the principal longitudinal axis of said channel,4 saidone flange having at leastoneholerin-each of` thehighernendportions thereof, said web having a hole in each of the intermediate portions of saidre'verse bends, said 'web further having a hole in each ofthe end'.portions thereof, and said web extending beyond said lips and having upturned side edges continuing from the plane of said lips to the ends of said brace.

2.- A furniturebrace as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidreverse bendskv each comprisevan intermediate portion.which.interconnects two mutually parallel portions ofvsaid web and-meets said.. portions atan obtuse angle.

3. In a piece of furniture, arectangular wooden frame, including atleast a pair of oppositely disposed side rails andan end rail, a metallic brace interconnected between said yoppositely disposed side rails, spring means interconnected.between said side rails and maintained in tension by said frame, said .brace being of channel construction, having a web. and .side.ianges, the endrportions of at leastrone Aofthe `side'anges of said brace being substantially highenthan the portion of said iiange` disposed nearthezlongitudinal center of said brace, theend `ol? said oneside' ilange-abutting the inner sideof/ the end rail, .and said web extendmggbeneath saidicsiderails and being, secured v thereto.- by suitabley fastening means.

4. In a piece of furniture, a rectangular wooden lframe including atafleast: a pair of oppositely' disposed side rails andI an; end rail, a metallic brace interconnected between'said oppositely disposed side rails, said brace beingi of-channel construction Ihaving aweb and side anges, one of said side` flanges being .juxtaposed with saidfend'trail.connected between said oppositely disposed side rails, means connecting the `endshofvsaid brace lto said respectively adjoiningl side rails, .and means connectingsaid-one -ange:to said-end-rail, said `last mentioned meansbeing: disposed -inproximity 4to the respective corners formediby saidoppositely; disposed Vside rails and said. .end rail.;V

5. LThe; combination. -setf forth.y in claim-.4 vwherein said webzsextends.beneath'said: oppositely disposed Vside rails and; is i provided;.with .leg supporting holes` in proximity to. said:;oppositely disposed: side. rails.-

6..'.A` bracezfor. connectionbetween Voppositely disposed rails; in a .i piece-1A ofnfurniture,v comprising-.anwl elongated member having .-iirstA andsecond reverse bends near the endsxthereoi' so astosprovide said member with a generallly concave. Jcent-ral` i portion, .saidz member having an opstanding side A`ilange,I ,.said.. flange; `beingsubstantially wider 'rnearlthe' endsy tof: said member, and said -ange terminating` alsubstantial;distance-:from.the-ends, of said member, the ends ofisaidupstanding ,side-'flange including faninturn'edllip. disposed at vright angles to theI longitudinal.=axis oflsaid side..ange..

ReferencesfCitedn `the leiofthis .patent UNITED STATES PTENTS 378,546 Henry ...Feb. v28, 1888 8855474' 'Hirsh Apr. 21,1908 949,576 yHunter Feb.- 15, 1910 1,104,018: Thiss July 21, 1914 2,143g355 Y Martin' Ian. l0, 1939 2,550,662? Austin MayV l, 1951 2,800,171 Hoven et al. Iuly'23, 1957 2,812,82174y Shapiro Mar. 25, 1958 

